


Time

by NorthernerinSpace



Category: Red Dwarf (UK TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Back to Earth, Character Death, M/M, Pining, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:33:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27042781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NorthernerinSpace/pseuds/NorthernerinSpace
Summary: In which things don't end happily.An angsty canon divergent one-shot for Back to Earth.
Relationships: Dave Lister/Arnold Rimmer
Kudos: 12





	Time

It wasn’t real.

They _were_ real. His actions were his own – well, mostly.

Leaving the hallucination wasn’t difficult. His instinct to survive far surpassed his desire to spend his days walking round a fake world knowing he was dying in the real one.

Lister on the hand…Rimmer had seen his face and knew they’d be returning alone. Kristine smegging Kochanski. He knew Lister would die to be with her but he never thought the goit would have the chance. Lister would rather die in a fake life with the love of his life than live a real one with – what even were they? Enemies? _Friends_? He had spent a hundred years as a jumped-up, blonde-wigged git trying to find how to break the walls they’d built between them, but he’d smegged up as soon as he’d returned. One look at that grinning gerbil face and he was back to being the same smeghead who had left. Barbs and general bastardy were the only defence he had from falling for him all over again.

So the gerbil grins faded. Nothing had changed only they’d gotten older and the distance between them wider.

The distance had never been so wide as now - knowing Lister had all he ever wanted and it wasn’t him. Had it really been a pleasure squid? All he felt looking at Lister’s blissed out, inky, spasming face was despair. Once again, he wasn’t good enough.

The Cat had slunk off as soon as they woke, eager to change into an outfit that didn’t stink more than Lister’s decade old sock pile. Kryten had hovered. He had made Mr Lister’s body comfortable, straightened his clothes and mopped the ink from his brow. However, the robot had clomped away quickly to prepare Mr Lister a welcome back curry after Rimmer had told the bogbot in no uncertain terms that he was moments from dismantling him and sending the parts out the airlock.

Sat in a pool of squid ink, Rimmer was left waiting and for what? Lister was in la-la land with no desire to return. All Lister would do now was waste away on the cargo bay floor until his body gave out, and then he’d stink worse than he already did. Rimmer’s eyes were tearing up at the thought – the stench. Lister was still spasming – how long would this go on for? How long had they been out for?

It could have been days that he was sat waiting. It didn’t matter. He had briefly laid his hand on Lister's shoulder to still the spasms but the dwindling warmth made his stomach lurch like a diving bell and with the reappearance of a worried Kryten, he pulled his hand sharply away. Kryten stood, wringing a dry cloth, sobbing – already mourning a dying man. There was nothing he could do. Nothing he could clean.

Eventually, The Cat slunk in as if summoned. He was already wearing black. He perched on a crate nearby and started to cry. Loudly. Obnoxiously. The end was near and Rimmer didn’t want to hear it.

Lister’s whole body convulsed aggressively. His breaths were sharp and quick as they all watched on helplessly. The thuds of Lister’s body slamming against the grating were sudden, vicious, and then they stopped. Everything stopped. Rimmer’s heart stopped. Lister was still. Lister’s hands were cold. Rimmer was alone.

No.

No, come back.

He had just got back.

He was going to tell him.

He just couldn’t find the words; he never could.

He was supposed to have more time. They were supposed to have more time.

But time had run out.


End file.
